Khadi Week

It's a guessing game,really. In the last one year four fashion weeks were announced in Kolkata,three of which were canceled.

With Mahatma Gandhi as its inspiration,Kolkatas latest fashion extravaganza seems to suffer from an identity crisis

It’s a guessing game,really. In the last one year four fashion weeks were announced in Kolkata,three of which were canceled. Which means most media personnel treat a fashion week press conference as a leisurely outing mudcake,crispy corn and maybe some lukewarm tea. But the Indian Fashion Carinval,which is scheduled to take place at the Salt Lake helipad grounds from 10th to 12th September,demands to be taken seriously. And how can we not take them seriously when they have the father of the nation’s name emblazoned across their official banner. The fashion carnival is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Which means,there will be khadi,khadi and more khadi.

Wonderful,we say. After all,nothing more soothing for our bling-blinded eyes than earthy tones of this handspun material. Maybe,just maybe,we might even spot something which we can wear and afford. But wait,what is this we hear? At the press conference to announce the event,one of the participating designers very vehemently announced that his collection wont come cheap. Khadi is not a cheap material you know, he tsk tsked. Well,he is right. First potatoes and onions and now khadi. That’s roti and kapda gone,now for the makaan… The common man sure needs to rethink his weapons of survival.

However,the organisers of the Indian Fashion Carnival seem to have their hearts in the right place. The fashion carnival will have a special section named Weavers village which will be a complex adjoined to the main event area housing weavers from different parts of India. At weavers village the weavers will be able to showcase their designs independantly , said Pratik Sen,director,Mindscape One.

Yet the designer lineup of the fashion extravaganza is nothing to write home about. Usual suspects,Bibi Russelll and Zubair Kirmani will be here and joining them will be Rohit Kamra,Bhairavi Jaikishan,Riyaz Gangjee,James Ferreira ,Vinit Agarwal,Abdul Halder,AD Singh and Soumitro Mondol. It’s high time we treated khadi with some respect. Indian fashion cannot progress if we don’t take pride in our own materials, said veteran designer James Ferreira,who was present at the occasion. However,he deemed it fit to present two ensembles in rustling chiffon for the occasion.

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